Systems and methods for estimation of building wall area

ABSTRACT

A wall area estimation system generates an estimated wall area measurement of a building based on the received roof measurements (e.g., those generated by, received from or found in a three-dimensional model of the roof) and a reference distance. The reference distance is a measurement indicative of a distance between the roof and a model ground surface placed on an image of the building where the walls of the building meet the ground. This reference distance may be used to determine how for down to extend the walls of the building (e.g., to a ground level) when building a three-dimensional digital model of the building to aid in generating wall area measurements. The resulting wall measurements, roof measurements, measurements of areas missing from the wall used to generate a wall estimate report, or a combined roof and wall estimate report including various different identifiers indicating the different features and measurements based on the three-dimensional model.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

This invention is in the field of building size estimation, and inparticular, building wall area estimation.

Description of the Related Art

The square footage measurements of a building walls are used as a mainfactor in quickly estimating costs of materials and labor to repair orreplace walls of the building and make other improvements ormodifications to the entire building (e.g., to estimate the cost ofsiding materials to re-side a house). Thus, accurate wall areameasurements are instrumental in these calculations. Current methods ofmeasuring wall area often involve a person having to visit the buildingand manually measure particular dimensions of the building, or byreferring to original plans or blueprints of the building. Manuallymeasuring the dimensions for calculation of building wall area is costlyand/original plans for the building may be unavailable or out of date.Therefore, accurate methods for estimating and verifying wall area thatavoid these drawbacks are desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a wall area estimation system generates an estimatedwall area measurement of a building based on the received roofmeasurements and a reference distance. The reference distance mayinitially be a default value such as that corresponding to the typicalheight of an exterior wall of a single story building or, alternatively,a measurement indicative of a distance between the roof and a modelground surface placed on an image of the building where the exteriorwalls of the building appear to meet the ground at building foundation.This reference distance may be used to determine how far down to extendthe walls of the building when building a digital three-dimensionalmodel of the building to aid in generating wall area measurements.

The wall area measurement estimation system may be a system integratedwith a roof estimation system or other system that provides roofmeasurements. In other embodiments, the roof area measurements may beprovided by an external source, system or entity, or may be inputmanually by an operator of the wall area measurement estimation system.

The resulting wall measurements, roof measurements, measurements ofareas missing from the wall, etc., generated by the wall estimationsystem may be used to generate a wall estimate report, or a combinedroof and wall estimate report. The estimate report may include variousdifferent identifiers indicating different features and measurementsdisplayed on images and/or line drawings of the building and/or indifferent areas of the report based on the generated three-dimensionalmodel of the building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

FIG. 1A is a flow diagram showing an example method of generating anestimated wall area measurement, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a flow diagram showing an example method that may be includedas part of the step of generating the estimated wall measurement of thebuilding in the method shown in FIG. 1A, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1C is a flow diagram showing an example method of generating anestimated wall area measurement using a first and a second aerial imageof the building, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 2A is an example screenshot of a user interface of a system forgenerating wall area measurements showing a three-dimensional model ofthe roof, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIGS. 2B and 2C are example screenshots of the user interface of thesystem used in FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements, eachshowing an example model planar surface of the ground or foundation,respectively, for two different example buildings.

FIG. 2D is an example screenshot of the user interface of the systemused in FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing athree-dimensional model of the building generated using thethree-dimensional model of the roof shown in FIG. 2B and a placement ofthe planar surface of the ground or foundation under the roof, accordingto one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing a north sideperspective view of the three-dimensional model of the building of FIG.2D overlaid on an image of the building, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing an east sideperspective view of the three-dimensional model of the building of FIG.2D overlaid on an image of the building on the right side of the imageand a north side elevational view on the left side, according to onenon-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing a west sideperspective view of the three-dimensional model of the building of FIG.2D overlaid on an image of the building on the right side and a westside elevational view on the left, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing a top plan viewof the three-dimensional model of the building of FIG. 2D on the leftand an east side perspective view on the right, according to onenon-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing selection of abuilding wall of the three-dimensional model of the building of FIG. 2D,according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an example screenshot of the user interface of the system usedin FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing removal of theselected building wall of the three-dimensional model of the building ofFIG. 7, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a computing environment in whichsystems and methods for estimation of building wall area may beimplemented or of which they may be a part.

FIG. 10A is a first page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10B is a second page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10C is a third page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10D is a fourth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10E is a fifth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10F is a sixth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10G is a seventh page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10H is an eighth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10I is a ninth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10J is a tenth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10K is a eleventh page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10L is a twelfth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10M is a thirteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10N is a fourteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10O is a fifteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 10P is a sixteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11A is a first page of second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11B is a second page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11C is a third page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11D is a fourth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11E is a fifth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11F is a sixth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11G is a seventh page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11H is an eighth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11I is a ninth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11J is a tenth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11K is a eleventh page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11L is a twelfth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 11M is a thirteenth page of a second non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a flow diagram showing an example method 100 of generating anestimated wall area measurement, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment.

While each of the steps shown in FIG. 1A contributes to the overallsolution, each can be used independently or in various combinations toyield improvements in estimating wall area measurements as discussedbelow. Below is an overview of each step in the process, which will befollowed by a more detailed discussion of each step.

At 102, the process receives roof measurements of a building having aroof. These measurements may be estimated or actual dimensional and/orarea measurements of the roof such as one or more of: roof edge lengths,ridge lengths, gable lengths, hip lengths, valley lengths, roof sectionpitch, roof area measurements, planar roof section area measurements,planar roof section dimension measurements, etc. These roof measurementsmay be generated internally by a component of a system that estimateswall area measurements (i.e., a wall area measurement estimation system)and received from such an internal component, or may be generated andreceived from an external component or entity separate from the wallarea measurement estimation system. In some embodiments, the externalcomponent is located remotely from the wall area measurement estimationsystem.

For example, in some embodiments, the wall area measurement estimationsystem may be a system integrated with a roof estimation system or othersystem that provides roof measurements. In other embodiments, the roofarea measurements may be provided by an external source, system orentity, or may be input manually by an operator of the wall areameasurement estimation system.

At 104, the process receives a reference distance. This referencedistance is a measurement indicative of a distance between a referencepoint on the roof and a ground surface. In one embodiment, the referencedistance is, or may initially be set at, a default value thatcorresponds to the height of an exterior wall of a typical single storybuilding (namely, a default distance is used representing a distancebetween a point corresponding to approximately where an external wallmeets the roof along or near a lower horizontal edge of a roof and apoint on the ground or on a building foundation vertically beneath thatpoint on the roof).

In one embodiment, this default value is the initial set value and asmore data becomes available by actual measurements, it is changed to anew value and the calculations of wall area or done again.

In another embodiment, the reference distance is, or may initially beset at, a measurement indicative of a distance between a reference pointon the roof and a surface on which the building rests, such as, theground or a building foundation. The distance is determined via aplacement of a graphical user interface element representing a modelplanar ground surface at a position beneath a graphical user interfaceelement representing a digital three-dimensional model of the roof. Forexample, the reference distance is, or may initially be set at, ameasurement indicative of a vertical distance between a reference pointon the roof corresponding to where an exterior wall meets the roof and amodel planar ground surface representing the ground or buildingfoundation placed on an image of the building corresponding to where oneor more of the exterior walls of the building appear to meet the groundor building foundation in the image. This reference distance may be usedto determine how far down to extend the walls of the building from theroof to reach ground level when building a three-dimensional model ofthe building to aid in generating wall area measurements.

In particular, at 106 the process generates an estimated wall areameasurement of the building based on the received roof measurements andthe reference distance. The roof measurements may be generated by theroof estimation system described in one or more of: U.S. Pat. No.8,078,436 issued Dec. 13, 2011, entitled “AERIAL ROOF ESTIMATION SYSTEMSAND METHODS” (hereinafter, referred to as the '436 patent); U.S. Pat.No. 8,209,152 filed May 15, 2009, entitled “CONCURRENT DISPLAY SYSTEMSAND METHODS FOR AERIAL ROOF ESTIMATION” (hereinafter, referred to as the'152 patent); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/019,228 filed Feb. 1,2011 and entitled “GEOMETRIC CORRECTION OF ROUGH WIREFRAME MODELSDERIVED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS” (hereinafter, referred to as the '228application); U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/594,964,filed Feb. 3, 2012 and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTIMATION OFBUILDING FLOOR AREA” (hereinafter, referred to as the '964 Application);U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/594,956, filed Feb. 3,2012 and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTIMATION OF BUILDING WALLAREA” (hereinafter, referred to as the '956 Application); and U.S. Pat.No. 8,774,525, filed Feb. 1, 2013 and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORESTIMATION OF BUILDING FLOOR AREA” and hereinafter, referred to as the'525 Patent), which are each incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Additionally, it is expressly contemplated that any operable combinationof one or more of any of the features or components of the estimationsystems, measurement systems and/or reports described or shown in, butnot limited to: the; the '436 Patent; the '244 Application; the '152Patent; the '228 Application; the '964 Application; the '956Application; and/or the '525 Patent; may be integrated and/or used with,or in, any operable combination of one or more of any of the features orcomponents of the wall estimation systems and/or reports described orshown herein, and are operably included in various differentembodiments.

In many such embodiments, one or more of the roof measurements are basedon aerial photographs of the building via manual or automated analysisof roof features, such as by using the roof estimation system and/orother modules described in one or more of the; the '436 Patent; the '244Application; the '152 Patent; the '228 Application; the '964Application; the '956 Application; and/or the '525 Patent. Thus,utilizing some embodiments described herein, one may estimate wall areameasurements of a building merely using one or more aerial photographsof the building, with little or no additional information initiallyneeded.

FIG. 1B is a flow diagram showing an example method 110 that may beincluded as part of the step of generating the estimated wallmeasurement of the building in the method shown in FIG. 1A, according toone non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

While each of the steps shown in FIG. 1B contributes to the overallsolution, each can be used independently or in various combinations toyield improvements in estimating wall area measurements as discussedbelow.

At 112, the process initially includes the three-dimensional model ofthe roof described above as part of a three-dimensional model of thebuilding.

At 114, the process generates a wall in the three-dimensional model ofthe building by extending the wall from along an edge of the roof towardthe ground surface. In particular, the wall area estimation systemextends the wall a distance until either intersecting a level of theground surface, according to the received measurement indicative of thedistance between the reference point on the roof and the ground surface,or intersecting another surface of the roof, according to thethree-dimensional model of the roof. In this manner, both the dimensionsand shape of the wall may be built within the three-dimensional model ofthe building. For example, this may include a triangular shape of thewall underneath a roof gable, a section of the wall between two levels,planar surfaces or facets of the roof, etc. This process may be repeatedfor each exterior wall of the building to build a three-dimensionalmodel of the building including, for example, a combinedthree-dimensional model of the roof and exterior walls of the building.

At 116, the process uses dimensions of the wall generated in thethree-dimensional model of the building to determine an area of thewall. This also may be repeated for each wall such that a total wallarea for the entire building may be generated.

This three-dimensional model of the building may be rendered within agraphical user interface of the wall estimation system. The graphicaluser interface provides selectable user interface elements within thegraphical user interface configured to be placed by a user on areas ofwalls of the building within the three-dimensional model. Thesegraphical user interface elements represent areas missing from the wallsuch as doors or windows which are not to be included in the total wallarea measurement. These graphical user interface elements may havedimensions corresponding to these areas missing from the wall and mayalso be adjustable by the user. The graphical user interface elementsmay also have initial dimensions corresponding to those of an expectedwindow size or an expected door size (e.g., standard or typical windowor door sizes). Once placed on the rendered three-dimensional model, thewall area measurements will be automatically adjusted accordingly,corresponding to the area associated with each respective element placedon three-dimensional model.

FIG. 1C is a flow diagram showing an example method 120 of generating anestimated wall area measurement using a first and a second aerial imageof the building, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

At step 122 the process receives a first and a second aerial image of abuilding having a roof, each of the aerial images providing a differentview of the roof of the building.

At 124, the process correlates the first aerial image with the secondaerial image. This correlation process is described in one or more ofthe; the '436 Patent; the '244 Application; the '152 Patent; the '228Application; the '964 Application; the '956 Application; and/or the '525Patent. In some embodiments, correlating the aerial images may includeregistering pairs of points on the first and second aerial images, eachpair of points corresponding to substantially the same point on the roofdepicted in each of the images. Correlating the aerial images may bebased at least in part on input received from a human operator and/orautomatic image processing techniques.

For example, the process may identify a set of reference points in eachof the images. The process then uses these reference points and anyacceptable algorithm to co-register the images and reconstruct thethree-dimensional geometry of the object (e.g., a building roof)identified by the reference points. There are a variety ofphotogrammetric algorithms that can be utilized to perform thisreconstruction. One such algorithm which may be utilized by the processuses photographs taken from two or more view points to “triangulate”points of interest on the object in three-dimensional space. Thistriangulation can be visualized as a process of projecting a lineoriginating from the location of the photograph's observation point thatpasses through a particular reference point in the image. Theintersection of these projected lines from the set of observation pointsto a particular reference point identifies the location of that point inthree-dimensional space. Repeating the process for all such referencepoints allows the software to build a three-dimensional model of thestructure.

At 126 the process generates a three-dimensional model of the roof thatincludes a plurality of planar roof sections that each has acorresponding slope, area, and edges. This three-dimensional model ofthe roof is generated based at least in part on the correlation betweenthe first and second aerial images, examples of which are also describedin one or more of the; the '436 Patent; the '244 Application; the '152Patent; the '228 Application; the '964 Application; the '956Application; and/or the '525 Patent. For example, in some embodiments,generating the three-dimensional model may be based, at least in part,on indications of features of the roof, such as valleys, ridges, edges,planes, etc. Generating the three-dimensional model may also be based atleast in part on input received from a human operator (e.g., indicationsof roof ridges and valleys) and/or automatic image processingtechniques.

At 128 the process generates an estimated wall area measurement of thebuilding. This estimated wall area measurement is generated based atleast in part on the three-dimensional model of the roof and ameasurement indicative of the distance between a reference point on theroof and the ground surface. For example, this reference distance may beused by the wall area estimation system to determine how for down toextend the walls of the building (e.g., to a ground level) when buildinga three-dimensional model of the building

In some embodiments, the entire process, or nearly the entire process,of generating estimated wall areas is automated by the systemautomatically recognizing these particular building features and groundfeatures in one or more images of the building through image analysisthat utilizes typical characteristics of such features as viewed fromthe various angles of those in the one or more images.

FIGS. 2A through 8 show example screen shots of a graphical userinterface of the system for generating wall area measurements at variouspoints in the process of building the three-dimensional model of thebuilding and generating the wall measurements (e.g., as described abovewith reference to FIGS. 1A-1C).

FIG. 2A is an example screenshot 200 of a user interface of a system forgenerating wall area measurements showing a three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.

Shown is a graphical user interface including two panels. The rightpanel 204 is displaying an aerial image of a building showing a topoblique view 206 of the building and the left panel 202 is displaying aninteractive three-dimensional model of the roof 210 of the building.Also note that the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 is overlaidon the roof of the building shown in the aerial image 206 on the rightpanel 204 in accordance with the particular angle of the top obliqueview 206 of the building. This roof model may also be an interactivemodel that can be moved, rotated, adjusted or otherwise manipulated invarious manners by the user via a mouse, touch screen or other inputdevice such that it is overlaid on the roof of the building shown in theimage 206 in a position and angle of view corresponding to the positionand angle of view of the roof shown in the image 206. In one embodiment,the interactive three-dimensional model of the roof 210 is rendered inthe position on the image 206 overlaid on the roof of the building asshown in the image 206 in response to a user selecting the “createupper” button 214 shown in the screenshot 200.

The three-dimensional model of the roof 210 shown in FIG. 2A may be usedin the part of the process 100 shown in FIG. 1A which receives roofmeasurements of the building. For example, the roof measurements of thebuilding referenced in process 100 may be those defined by thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210. Also, the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 is an example of a three-dimensional model of aroof which may be included as part of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding described above in process 110 of FIG. 1B.

FIGS. 2B and 2C are example screenshots 220 and 225, respectively, ofthe user interface of the system of FIG. 2A for generating wall areameasurements, each showing an example model planar surface of the groundor foundation, respectively, for two different example buildings. Shownin FIG. 2B is a model planar ground surface 216 in the shape a footprintof the building shown in image 206. In FIG. 2B, the example model planarground surface 216 is rendered under a three-dimensional model of theroof 210 of the building shown in image 206 and, in FIG. 2C, an examplemodel planar ground surface 217 in the shape of the footprint of adifferent example building is overlaid on the different example buildingshown in image 207.

In some embodiments, the estimation of the model planar ground surface217 need not be planar. The ground could just as well be modeled by amore complex surface. Also, in some embodiments, computation andplacement of the ground can be done in an automated fashion and not doneby “user placement”. For example, the system described herein maydetermine the ground surface (not necessarily planar) and the placementof the ground relative to the roof, e.g., an automatic orsystem-assisted determination of the eave to ground distance. This couldalso be done with methods for roof estimation during the registrationprocess of registering corresponding or matching points on two differentimages of the roof, if ground points (as well as the roof points)participate in the registration and are then subsequently fit to asurface to estimate a surface model of the ground. These alternativemethods also do not necessarily require visibility of thehouse-to-ground intersection. If the ground (plane or complex surface)is determined near to the house, the resulting ground surface can beextended (extrapolated or interpolated from surrounding areas determinedto be ground level) by the system under the structure even if the baseof the structure is covered with bushes or otherwise obscured such thatit would prevent a direct visible assessment by the user.

The screenshot 220 of FIG. 2B shows a user interface that may bedisplayed as part of the process 100 shown in FIG. 1A. For example theprocess may receive a measurement indicative of a distance between areference point on a roof represented by the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210 and the ground. As used herein, “ground” generally meansany surface on which a building may rest (including a buildingfoundation, platform, other substantially horizontal and/or flat surfaceor structure on which the building rests, etc.). In some embodiments,the measurement indicative of a distance between a reference point onthe roof and the ground may be a distance corresponding to a defaultvalue of the typical wall height of a single story building.

Also, In some embodiments, this measurement may be received initially asuser input or a default value corresponding to an estimated orapproximate vertical distance between a point at or near a lowerhorizontal edge of the roof 210 (e.g., a roof eave) and the surface onwhich the building rests or appears to rest (e.g., the ground orbuilding foundation) which, in some embodiments, may approximatelycorrespond to the typical wall height of a single story building. Forexample, a typical wall height of a single story building may be 8 ft.to 8.5 ft, and thus, an example of the default value of the measurementindicative of a distance between a reference point on the roof 210 andthe ground will correspond to a value in this range representing thetypical wall height of a single story building. However, this defaultvalue may vary in different embodiments and may also be selectableand/or configurable by the user (e.g., to be a default valuecorresponding to the typical height of a two story building or othervalue).

In some embodiments, a user may indicate a reference point on the groundin the image 206 shown in the right panel 204 (e.g., by a mouse click orother selection) to provide this measurement. For example, the referencepoint may be at a point on image 206 selected by the user correspondingto a location where the building wall would appear or is visuallyestimated to meet the ground, represented by point 227. Although theoblique angle of view of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210shown overlaid on image 206 is different than the angle of view of theof the line drawing of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 shownin panel 202, these views may be selected to match. In some embodimentsthese views may be selectively locked such that, when selected to do so,the angle of view of the of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210shown overlaid on the image 206 is always the same as the angle of viewof the of the line drawing of the three-dimensional model of the roof210 shown in panel 202 until there is no longer a selection to do so.

Using reference point 227, the system will calculate the distancerepresented by dashed line 223 from the selected reference point 227 onthe ground to the point 229 above the ground on the roof, on thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210. This will be a point verticallyabove the ground within the three-dimensional reference framework of thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210, according to howthree-dimensional model of the roof 210 as it is overlaid on the image206. For example, point 227 represents to the system a point where theground meets the building wall that is potentially visible according tothe angle of view of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 asoverlaid on the image 206.

According to the position and angle of view of the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 as overlaid on the image 206, the system thencalculates the vertical distance 223 from point 227 to a planar surfaceor edge, point 229, of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210directly above point 227 within the three-dimensional referenceframework of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210. Since theimage data with the photograph has a measure scale that provides thelength distance of one pixel, the length of line 223 on the image 206 inpixels is an indication of the wall height. For example, one pixel inthe image may be equal to six inches, ten inches, one foot, or anothervalue of the actual physical building. The pixel-to-physical length datais part of the image data which is provided with the image in thedigital file and is, thus, easily available. The received measurement ofdistance 223 is therefore indicative of a distance between a referencepoint on the roof and a reference point on the ground that will be usedas the starting point for the calculated distance of the wall height.

The selection of this reference point 227 on the ground may additionallyor alternatively be performed by automated image analysis detecting thetransition between a wall of the building and the ground in one or moreperspective or oblique images of the of the building. For example, thisdetection of transitions between the wall of the building and the groundmay be performed at locations or sections of the image vertically undera roof eave or gable potentially visible according to the position andangle of view of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 as overlaidon the image 206 to facilitate or aid in the selection a reference pointon the ground.

The determination of the wall height can be performed at any locationfrom any side where the ground is visible in the photographic image ofthe roof. For example, it can be done from each of the north, south,east and west views. Since the ground might slope from one side of thehome to the other side, a measurement of each side is the most accurate.Alternatively, if the one side of the house does not provide a clearview of the ground where the wall of the home meets the ground, as mightbe the case if a deck, trees, bushes or other obstruction is present,the software program can use the height measurement to the next adjacentwall with which it forms a corner as the height value of the wall. As afurther alternative, if one wall is measured, this one measurement canbe accepted as being the same for all walls unless the operatorindicates that some walls are of a different height.

Some homes built on a slope will have a one-story front wall and atwo-story back wall and the side walls will gradually increase in heightfrom the front to the back. Of those types of homes, the front wallheight is measured or estimated, the back wall height is measured orestimated, and then the height of each side wall is set to be that ofthe front wall at its front corner and that of the back wall at its backcorner, and to increase in a linear measure between the two.

In response to the user selecting the “create lower” button 222 shown onscreenshot 220, the wall area estimation system will render the modelplanar surface of the ground 216 (e.g., as the shape of the buildingfootprint) in the corresponding area underneath the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 in panel 202 at some distance below thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210. Shown in panel 202 on the leftof the user interface in screenshot 220, the planar surface of theground 216 is automatically rendered to scale as the shape of thebuilding footprint and is rendered such that it is shown from the sameangle of view as that of the line drawing of the three-dimensional modelof the roof 210 shown in the panel 202. The shape of the buildingfootprint may be determined initially by the system as the shape of theoutside perimeter of a top down view of the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210, for example, the top down view of the three dimensionalmodel 224 in panel 202 in FIG. 6, or by existing known buildingmeasurements. The planar surface of the ground 216 having the shape ofthe building footprint is rendered such that the corners of the planarsurface of the ground 216 forming the shape of the building footprintinitially line up vertically beneath the corresponding corners of theperimeter of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 within thethree-dimensional reference framework of the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the planar surface of theground 216 in the shape of the building footprint is rendered in theleft panel 202 of the user interface in screenshot 220 at a distanceunder the roof 210 equal to or based on the received measurementindicative of the distance between the reference point 229 on the roofand the ground, point 227, as described above. In some embodiments, themeasurement indicative of the distance between the reference point onthe roof and the ground may be an arbitrary default value or may bebased on other characteristics of the image 206 and/or thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 overlaid on the image 206. Thus,in some embodiments, the distance below the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210 at which the planar surface of the ground 216 is initiallyrendered may be an arbitrary default value or may be based on othercharacteristics of the image 206 and/or the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 210 overlaid on the image 206.

In addition to the planar surface of the ground 216 in the shape of thebuilding footprint being rendered in the left panel 202 of the userinterface in screenshot 220, it is also overlaid at a correspondingposition on the image of the building 206 such that it is shown from thesame angle of view as the view of the building shown in the image 206.In FIG. 2B, the planar surface of the ground 216 is not shown overlaidon the example image 206 in FIG. 2B because it would be somewhatobscured by the example red-colored translucent three-dimensional modelof the roof 210 that is also overlaid on image 206. However, FIG. 2Cshows an example of a different building for which a planar surface ofthe ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint is overlaid onan image 207 of the building. In FIG. 2C, the planar surface of theground 217 having the shape of the building footprint is overlaid on theimage 207 of the building below a three-dimensional model of the roof221 of that building that is also overlaid on the image 207, but whichis has transparent roof sections such that the overlaid planar surfaceof the ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint it is notobscured by the overlaid three-dimensional model of the roof 221. Inparticular, the planar surface of the ground 217 in FIG. 2C, having theshape of the building footprint, is automatically overlaid on the image207 such that it is shown from the same angle of view of the examplebuilding as shown in image 207.

The planar surface of the ground 216 is an adjustable user interfacecontrol such that the user may change the location, size and/ororientation of the planar surface of the ground 216 relative to thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 to match that of the groundrelative to the roof of the building in the image 206 showing an obliqueview of the building. Likewise, the same adjustable user interfacecontrol functionality described above applies to the planar surface ofthe ground 217 shown overlaid on the image 207 of the example buildingof FIG. 2C with respect to the to the three-dimensional model of theroof 221 of that building overlaid on the image 207 of that building.

The user may move, manipulate, correct and/or rotate the line drawing ofthe three-dimensional model of the roof 210 and planar surface of theground 216, or a portion thereof (e.g., individual line segments), shownin user interface panel 202 together or individually using a mouse,touch screen, or other input device. Similarly, the user may move,manipulate and/or rotate the line drawing of the three-dimensional modelof the roof 210 overlaid on the image of the roof 206 shown in panel 204and a planar surface of the ground 216 which may also be overlaid onimage 206 or in image 207 of FIG. 2C, or a portion thereof, together orindividually using a mouse, touch screen, or other input device.Accordingly, when such movement, manipulation, correction and/orrotation occurs to the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 and/orplanar surface of the ground 216 shown on one user interface panel 202,an equivalent corresponding movement, manipulation, correction and/orrotation occurs to the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 and/orplanar surface of the ground 216 shown in the other user interface panel204. These equivalent corresponding movements, manipulations,corrections and/or rotations occur substantially simultaneously.However, in other embodiments, these equivalent corresponding movements,manipulations, corrections and/or rotations may occur substantiallyconcurrently, soon after a corresponding equivalent action, orsubsequent to a corresponding equivalent action.

For example, if the user moves the line drawing of the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 within the user interface panel 202, acorresponding movement to the line drawing of the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 overlaid on the image 206 will occur as carriedout by the software. Likewise, if the user moves the planar surface ofthe ground 216 within the user interface panel 202, a correspondingmovement to a planar surface of the ground 216 overlaid on the image 206will occur, not shown in FIG. 2B, but see, e.g., the planar surface ofthe ground 217 overlaid on the corresponding image 207 in the exampleshown in FIG. 2C. Also, in some alternative embodiments, there may be anoption selectable by the user to lock together the line drawing of thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 and the planar surface of theground 216 having the shape of the building footprint underneath it,such that movement by the user of one causes the movement of the other,either within in the same panel or both panels, for example, in bothuser interface panels 202 and 204.

The surfaces defined by the line drawing of the three-dimensional modelof the roof 210 may be transparent, as shown in panel 202, a solid coloror may be a translucent color as shown on image 206 in user interfacepanel 204 to draw attention to the line drawing of the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 210 or differentiate the line drawing of thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 from other features or objectsin the image 206 or other objects. Likewise, the planar surface of theground 216, which may be overlaid on the image 206 (see, e.g., planarsurface of the ground 217 overlaid on image 207 in FIG. 2C) may betransparent, a solid color or may be a translucent color as shown inuser interface panel 202 (see also, e.g., planar ground surface 217 inimage 207 in FIG. 2C). This coloring may be to draw attention to ordifferentiate the planar surface of the ground 216 from other featuresor objects in the image 206 or other objects. Also, the surfaces definedby line drawing of the three-dimensional model of the roof 210 and theplanar surface of the ground 216 may be differently highlighted,differently colored, or otherwise differently marked with respect toeach other to differentiate those objects from themselves or otherobjects.

As an additional example, FIG. 2C, as explained above, is an examplescreenshot 225 of the user interface of the system of FIG. 2A forgenerating wall area measurements showing a planar ground surface 217overlaid on an image 207 of an oblique view of a different examplebuilding. In the example shown in FIG. 2C, in response to the userselecting the “create lower” button 222 shown on screenshot 225, thewall area estimation system renders the planar surface of the ground 217having the shape of and representing the footprint of the building suchthat the planar surface of the ground 217 is overlaid in thecorresponding area vertically under the model of the roof 221 of thebuilding on the image 207. For example, this may be according to thedefault value corresponding to the wall height of a typical one storyhouse or building, which height might be 8 feet, 9 feet, 10 feet, oranother value. The planar ground surface 217 overlaid on an image 207may then be adjusted by the user by the system enabling the user to dragthe planar surface of the ground 217 within the image 207 using a mouseor other input device to an area on the image 207 corresponding to wherethe walls of the building in the image intersect the ground or buildingfoundation shown in image 207 of the building.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 2C, a default value is used as a starting pointfor the height of the wall and, thus, used for a first rendering of thehouse. The created image is then overlaid on one or more photographicimages to determine if it matches and adjustments made, if needed, tohave the created image more accurately match the photographic image.

In one embodiment, the planar surface of the ground 217 representing thefootprint of the building is visually slidable only along a verticalaxis represented by parallel vertical lines 219 with respect to athree-dimensional model of the roof 221 having a corresponding angle ofview to the oblique view of the building shown in the image 207. In thisway, the user is able to adjust the vertical position of the planarsurface of the ground 217 representing the footprint of the buildingunder the transparent three-dimensional model of the roof 221 of thebuilding while keeping the corners of the planar surface of the ground217 representing the building footprint in line with the correspondingcorners of the three-dimensional model of the roof 221. In someembodiments, the planar surface of the ground 217 representing thefootprint of the building is selectively movable in any direction andthe user may then selectively lock movement of the planar surface of theground 217 representing the footprint of the building to restrictmovement to be along a vertical axis, a perpendicular horizontal axis,or any other axis with respect to a three-dimensional model of the roof221 overlaid on the image 207. Also, the planar surface of the ground217 representing the footprint may be adjusted relative to thethree-dimensional model of the roof 221 of the building without thethree-dimensional model of the roof 221 of the building also actuallybeing visually overlaid on any image of the building.

For split level homes, the planar surface of the ground 217 having theoverall shape of the building footprint may be split into two or moresections at positions or lines indicated by the user which each havedifferent vertical (i.e., elevation) positions with thethree-dimensional reference framework of the three-dimensional model ofthe roof 221 as overlaid on image 221. These vertical positions may bedefined by the user being able to move two or more sections of theplanar surface of the ground 216 individually along vertical positionswithin the three-dimensional reference framework of thethree-dimensional model of the roof 221, namely, along the vertical axisrepresented by a group of the parallel vertical lines 219). Each splitsection of the planar surface of the ground 217 may also be individuallymoved, manipulated, corrected and/or rotated within thethree-dimensional reference framework defined by the position of thethree-dimensional model of the roof 221 as overlaid on image 221.

As can be seen in FIG. 2B, reference point 229 on the roof is selectedto be where the wall meets the roof and not at the edge of the roof.Thus, the length of the eave and the slope of the roof will not be afactor that might cause an error in the wall height measurement.

Referring again to FIG. 2C, as roofs of buildings often overhang theexterior walls of the building, such as at roof eaves, at other portionsof the roof meeting building walls, etc., the location of the walls ofthe building may define an actual building footprint having an area andshape that may be smaller and/or different than that of the buildingfootprint initially represented by the shape of the planar surface ofthe ground 217. If the overhang amount of the eaves can be easilydetermined, the initial floor footprint and wall location might be basedon a top plan view, without accounting for the eave. This is due to theplanar surface of the ground 217 having the shape of the buildingfootprint being initially based on the outline of the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof 221 roof as shown from a top plan view, also shown inimage 209 in FIG. 2C of the three-dimensional model of the roof 221.Thus, one embodiment “erodes” the planar surface of the ground 217having the shape of the building footprint by reducing the size of theline segments defining the planar surface of the ground 217 having theshape of the building footprint to account for roofs which oftenoverhang the exterior walls. The adjusted line segments then may providea more accurate indication of the actual position of the exterior wallsof the building and the actual footprint of the building.

This reduction in the size of the line segments defining the planarsurface of the ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint maybe performed prior to the planar surface of the ground 217 beingrendered or otherwise overlaid on the image 207 such that the linesegments of the planar surface of ground 217 having the shape of thebuilding footprint can be more accurately aligned with the actuallocations of the exterior walls of the building on the ground shown inthe image 207.

For example, shown in image 209 on panel 202 is the planar surface ofthe ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint overlaid onthe image 217 showing a top plan, namely orthogonal, view of thebuilding. As shown on image 209, the planar surface area of the ground217 having the shape of the building footprint has been reduced. To dothis, the length of the line segments defining the footprint have beenreduced to account for the sections of the roof which overhang theexterior walls. The user may adjust the length of line segments of theplanar surface of the ground 217 having the shape of the buildingfootprint using an input device (mouse, touch screen, etc.) of thesystem based on a best estimate or also based on an identification ofwhere such overhangs may be viewable in images of the roof of the samebuilding, image 209 and/or image 207. This adjustment can be seen bycomparing the blue line 217 that represents the building footprint orthe ground with the roof edge 230 in FIG. 2C. Additionally oralternatively, the system may perform the adjustment of the planarsurface of the ground 217 having the shape of the building footprintaccording to a default value corresponding to typical lengths that roofsoverhang exterior walls (e.g., by 1.5 feet) and the number and length ofroof features identified by the computer software, and/or by the user inthe three-dimensional model of the roof 221 which are known to typicallyoverhang an exterior wall for example, along roof edge 230, edges of theroof of the building shown in image 207 and 209 identified as roofeaves, etc.

In many embodiments, the reduction in the size of the line segmentsdefining the planar surface of the ground 217 having the shape of thebuilding footprint may be additionally and/or selectively performed atany point in the process described herein before exterior walls areadded in generating a three-dimensional model of the building. Forexample, in one embodiment, when the user clicks the “create lower”button the initial non-reduced version of the planar surface of theground 217 having the shape of the building footprint may be overlaid oncorresponding areas of the building in oblique image 207 and/orthogonalimage 209 as described above. If need be, the user first reduces theplanar surface of the ground 217 having the shape of the buildingfootprint by causing the system to perform an adjustment based ondefault or values input by the user and clicking the “erode” button 203.

Additionally or alternatively, the system adjusts the planar surface ofthe ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint on either orboth of the images 207 and 209, namely, reduces the length of the linesegments defining the footprint to account for the sections of the roofwhich overhang the exterior walls based on user input generated by theuser using an input device to indicate to the system how much to reducethe line segments of the planar surface of the ground 217 having theshape of the building footprint. For example, this may be by the userclicking and dragging various line segment or corners of the planarsurface of the ground 217 having the shape of the building footprintoverlaid on the image 209 and/or the image 207. In many embodiments, thereduction in the size of the line segments defining the planar surfaceof the ground 217 having the shape of the building footprint may beadditionally and/or selectively performed at any point in the processdescribed herein in generating wall measurements.

FIG. 2D is an example screenshot 230 of the user interface of the systemof FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing athree-dimensional model of the building 224 generated using thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 and the planar surface of theground 216 under the roof shown in FIG. 2B, according to onenon-limiting illustrated embodiment.

For example, the screenshot 200 may be displayed as a first part of theprocess 110 shown in FIG. 1B in which the process generates a wall 226in the three-dimensional model of the building 224 by extending the wallfrom along a corresponding edge of the roof 210 toward the planarsurface of the ground 216 according to where the planar surface of theground 216 is positioned by the system and/or by the user below thethree-dimensional model of the roof 210 as described above.

In one embodiment screen shot 230 is created in response to a userselecting the “create walls” button 228, the wall area estimation systemextends the wall 226 of the three-dimensional model of the building 224a distance from an edge of the roof until either intersecting planarsurface of the ground 216 or intersecting another surface of the roof,according to the three-dimensional model of the roof 210. Since theexact roof shape is provided as a known value at the start of theprocess, if the system is provided one wall measurement, variations ofheight of the wall based on the roof slope will be taken into accountwhen the image of the wall is created. In this manner, both thedimensions and shape of the wall may be built within thethree-dimensional model of the building 224. These may include, forexample, a triangular shape of the wall 226 underneath a roof gable asshown in the three-dimensional model of the roof 210, or (as shown inFIG. 5) a section of a wall 502 between an upper planar section 506 ofthe roof and a different lower planar section 504 of the roof.

This process may be repeated for each exterior wall of the building byrepeating the process for each edge of the roof based on that each edgeof the roof potentially rests on top of or overhangs at least a portionof an exterior wall at locations on the roof directly above the linesegments of the planar surface of the ground 216 having the shape of thebuilding footprint to generate the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224. Additionally or alternatively, since each line segment ofthe planar surface of the ground 216 having the shape of the buildingfootprint corresponds to a potential location of at least one exteriorwall, the system may generate the walls in the three-dimensional modelof the building based on inserting vertical planar surfaces,representing the exterior walls, filling in spaces between the linesegments of the planar surface of the ground 216 having the shape of thebuilding footprint and the three-dimensional model of the roof 210.

Once the three-dimensional model of the building 224 is generated, wallarea calculations are performed by the system based on the size andshape of the walls of the building in the model 224. These wall areameasurements may be displayed on the graphical user interface, such ason corresponding areas of the walls in three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224, or anywhere else within the user interface. Also, thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 may be rotated and viewedfrom any angle. For example, this angle may correspond to the angle ofview in the aerial image displayed on the right panel 204 of thegraphical user interface, such as shown in FIG. 3.

In particular, FIG. 3 is an example screenshot 300 of the user interfaceof the system of FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing anorth side perspective view of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224 on panel 204 and panel 202, according to one non-limitingillustrated embodiment. Note, however, the compass indicator 303 onpanel 202 indicates the direction the viewer is facing according to theangle of view of the three-dimensional model of the building 224 shownin panel 202, whereas the building face indicator 305, indicatesgenerally the direction the face of the building largely shown in theimage in panel 204 is facing. The building face indicator 305, indicatesgenerally the direction the face of the building largely shown in theimage in panel 204 is facing according to the angle of view of thebuilding shown in shown in panel 204 and/or the angle of view of thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 as overlaid on the buildingin the image shown in panel 204. Various other views from differentangles and sides (e.g., south, east and west views; plan, elevation andside views, etc.) may also be rendered and displayed in the left panel202 and the corresponding right panel 204 which may or may not includethe corresponding image of the building.

As shown in FIG. 4 though FIG. 6, the view of the three-dimensionalmodel of the building 224 may be different in panel 202 and panel 204and selectable by the user by rotating the respective three-dimensionalmodel of the building 224 in the respective panel 202 or panel 204. Forexample, FIG. 4 is an example screenshot 400 of the user interface ofthe system of FIG. 2A showing an east side perspective view of thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 in the image on panel 204and a south side elevation view of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224 on panel 202.

FIG. 5 is an example screenshot 500 of the user interface of the systemof FIG. 2A showing a west side perspective view of the three-dimensionalmodel of the building 224 in the image on panel 204 and a west sideelevation view of the three-dimensional model of the building 224 onpanel 202. Note the lower section of the roof 504 and wall section 502between the lower section of the roof 504 and the upper section of theroof 506 on the west facing side of the building are visible because, inthe example embodiment shown, the building walls of thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 on panel 202 are transparentor translucent.

FIG. 6 is an example screenshot 600 of the user interface of the systemof FIG. 2A showing a top plan view of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224 on panel 202 and an east side perspective view of thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 in the image on panel 204.The three-dimensional model of the building 224 shown in FIG. 2D thoughFIG. 7 can be manipulated by the user or automatically by the system invarious manners to effect changes to the model, which result inautomatic corresponding changes to the wall area measurements based onthe walls of the generated building model 224.

For example, FIG. 7 is a screenshot 700 of the user interface of thesystem of FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showingselection of a building wall 226 of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Asshown in FIG. 7, the user has moved the cross hair cursor 203 to selectthe wall 226 of the three-dimensional model of the building 224. Notethe selected wall is highlighted in panel 202 as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is an example screenshot 800 of the user interface of the systemof FIG. 2A for generating wall area measurements showing removal of theselected building wall 226 of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224 of FIG. 7, according to one non-limiting illustratedembodiment. Once the wall is removed, it is also removed from thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 overlaid on the image of thebuilding in the right panel 204, causing the tree 802 previously blockedby the wall 226 to be revealed in the image. As a result, the total areaof all the walls of the house as measured by the computer system may bereduced by the area of the wall 226 that was removed from the buildingmodel 224. The user may also select and remove sections of the wallwhere windows, doors or other openings exist by selecting the area, forexample, using the cursor 203 or placing a graphical user interfaceelement representing the shape of such a feature on a wall of thebuilding model 224.

In some embodiments, as shown above, multiple panels of the userinterface may each show a different view of the three-dimensional modelof the building 224. When the user changes the model using the graphicaluser interface in any one panel, the corresponding change will appear inthe other panels showing the change as seen from the differentcorresponding view of each respective panel. For example, if the userplaces a graphical user interface element representing a window on oneof the walls of the three-dimensional model of the building 224, thenthat window will be visible from the different corresponding view ofeach respective panel. In this manner, the correct placement of theobject or change to the three-dimensional model of the building 224 maybe visually verified with the image of the building according to theangle of the building in the image.

In some embodiments, the cursor 203 itself is a line drawing of a planarsurface in the shape of a graphical user interface element representingan object such as a square, circle, selected item, or selected buildingfeature of a preset or selectable size, for example, the cursor can bethe size of a window, door, front door, back door, garage door, slidingglass door, soffit, etc., such that when the cursor is placed on aplanar surface that represents a wall of the three-dimensional model ofthe building 224, the angle of view of the line drawing of the selectedobject that is acting as the cursor 203 matches that of the planarsurface of the three-dimensional model of the building 225 on which itis currently placed. In effect, the object acting as the cursor, in theshape of a window, door, etc., looks how it would if it were placed onthe wall that the cursor is currently on according to the current angleof view of the wall. The user may then click a mouse button or otherwiseindicate using an input device that the object that is acting as thecursor 203 is to be placed on and become part of the three-dimensionalmodel of the building 224 at or near the current location of the cursor203. The user may then resize the object that is representing a square,circle, widow, door, front door, back door, garage door, sliding glassdoor, soffit, etc., placed on the three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224 using the cursor 203. This area can then be subtracted fromthe wall area measurement.

The use of cursor 203 is a quick and convenient way to subtract the areaof a feature from the wall. For example, the cursor 203 can be placed inthe shape of a door and then the operator can place this door on eachwall at the true door location as shown in the images. By clicking thecursor 203, the area of the door will be automatically subtracted fromthe wall area. The same can be done for round windows, diamond windows,or other similar geometric shapes.

Often, the siding or other material placed on exterior walls of abuilding often does not extend up to the point where the exterior wallactually meets the roof. For example, a soffit is a horizontal undersideof a roof overhang, namely, the overhang of roof eaves described above,and includes a horizontal piece of material extending between theoutside of the exterior wall and the edge of the roof that overhangs theexterior wall. Often, the siding or other material placed on such anexterior wall is not installed on the area of the exterior wall thatextends above this horizontal soffit piece of material since that areais hidden by the horizontal piece of material and the portion of theroof overhanging the exterior wall. Thus, to exclude the area of theexterior walls of the three-dimensional model of the building 224 onwhich siding is not typically installed, one embodiment the system willsubtract from the wall areas calculations used for wall siding materialestimation purposes, etc., the section of the wall(s) above the soffit.

In some embodiments, the section of a wall above a soffit is indicatedon the rendered three-dimensional model of the building 224 such thatthe user can adjust the location and/or size of these areas. The systemmay, for example, initially assume a soffit exists where a horizontaledge of the roof overhangs the walls, the distance of the roof eaves, inthe generated three-dimensional model of the building 224.Alternatively, the distance of the roof overhang may be set by the userand/or based on a typical roof overhang distance. In some embodiments,the user may indicate the sections of one or more walls above a soffiton the three dimensional model of the building 224 or otherwise input tothe system data regarding locations of sections of one or more wallsabove a soffit.

The resulting wall measurements, roof measurements, measurements ofareas missing from the wall, etc., generated by the wall estimationsystem may be used to generate a wall estimate report, or a combinedroof and wall estimate report and/or a combined wall, floor and/or roofestimate report, etc. The estimate report may include various differentidentifiers indicating different features and measurements displayed onimages and/or line drawings of the building and/or in different areas ofthe report based on the generated three-dimensional model of thebuilding 224.

A non-limiting example of such reports are provided FIGS. 10A-10P andFIGS. 11A-11P attached hereto. In some embodiments, thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 described herein, or someversion thereof, may also be provided in the report. For example, thethree-dimensional model of the building 224 may be overlaid on an imageof the building in the report.

Also, these reports may include, but are not limited to including:identification of total lengths and areas of all the walls or individualwalls; perspective, plan and elevation views of only the walls or thewalls together with a transparent line drawings of the roof; the entirethree-dimensional model of the building or sections thereof; shading ofthe walls to differentiate the walls from each other; lighter or darkershading of different walls in perspective views of the different wallsdepending on how close to the viewer the walls appear to be in the view;perspective, plan and elevation views of images of the building;perspective, plan and elevation views of images of the building withline drawings of the walls overlaid of the images; labeling on theperspective and elevation views of the walls based on the angle of viewshown in the line drawing and/or labeling of the walls based on whichwalls are best visible in the angle of view shown in the line drawing;wall area of only the labeled walls that are best visible and/or basedon percentage of visibility of non-transparent walls as shown in theline drawing; lengths of line segments defining the walls; perimetermeasurements of walls, window, door building features on the wall orselected labeled walls; identification and total and/or individualvertical lengths of inside corners of intersecting exterior walls (e.g.corners on the outside of the building of angles less that 180 degrees);identification and total and/or individual vertical lengths of outsidecorners of the exterior intersecting walls (e.g. corners on the outsideof the building having angles more than 180 degrees). The report may becommunicated or provided electronically by the wall estimation system orother 3^(rd) party system in various configurations and formats requiredby the insurance, real estate and construction industries, and/orprinted and mailed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a computing environment in whichsystems and methods for estimation of building wall area may beimplemented or of which they may be a part. For example, processes 100,110 and 120 described above in conjunction with FIGS. 1A-1C may beperformed or implemented by, for example, one or more software modulesor components or any combination of suitable hardware, firmware orsoftware components or devices including those that are a part of,stored in, or configure the computing environment of FIG. 9. Also, thegraphical user interface functions and features of the wall areaestimation system may be performed or implemented by, for example, oneor more software modules or components or any combination of suitablehardware, firmware or software components or devices including thosethat are a part of, stored in, or configure the computing environment ofFIG. 9.

The computing environment 900 will at times be referred to in thesingular herein, but this is not intended to limit the embodiments to asingle device since in typical embodiments there may be more than onecomputer system or device involved. Unless described otherwise, theconstruction and operation of the various blocks shown in FIG. 9 are ofconventional design. As a result, such blocks need not be described infurther detail herein, as they will be understood by those skilled inthe relevant art.

The computing environment 900 may include one or more processing units912 a, 912 b (collectively 912), a system memory 914 and a system bus916 that couples various system components including the system memory914 to the processing units 912. The processing units 912 may be anylogic processing unit, such as one or more central processing units(CPUs) 912 a, digital signal processors (DSPs) 912 b, digital video oraudio processing units such as coder-decoders (codecs) orcompression-decompression units, application-specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc. Thesystem bus 916 can employ any known bus structures or architectures,including a memory bus with memory controller, a peripheral bus, and alocal bus. The system memory 914 includes read-only memory (“ROM”) 918and random access memory (“RAM”) 920. A basic input/output system(“BIOS”) 922, which can form part of the ROM 918, contains basicroutines that help transfer information between elements within thecomputing environment 900, such as during start-up.

The computing environment 900 may include a hard disk drive 924 forreading from and writing to a hard disk 926 (including a solid statememory device), an optical disk drive 928 for reading from and writingto removable optical disks 932, and/or a magnetic disk drive 930 forreading from and writing to magnetic disks 934. The optical disk 932 canbe a CD-ROM, while the magnetic disk 934 can be a magnetic floppy diskor diskette.

The hard disk drive 924, optical disk drive 928 and magnetic disk drive930 may communicate with the processing unit 912 via the system bus 916.The hard disk drive 924, optical disk drive 928 and magnetic disk drive930 may include interfaces or controllers (not shown) coupled betweensuch drives and the system bus 916, as is known by those skilled in therelevant art.

The drives 924, 928 and 930, and their associated computer-readablestorage media 926, 932, 934, may provide nonvolatile and non-transitorystorage of computer readable instructions, data structures, programmodules and other data for the computing environment 900. Although thedepicted computing environment 900 is illustrated employing a hard disk924, optical disk 928 and magnetic disk 930, those skilled in therelevant art will appreciate that other types of computer-readablestorage media that can store data accessible by a computer may beemployed, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory, solid state drives,digital video disks (“DVD”), Bernoulli cartridges, RAMs, ROMs, smartcards, etc. For example, computer-readable storage media may include,but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory(ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM),flash memory, compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD)or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid statememory or any other medium which can be used to store the desiredinformation and which may be accessed by processing unit 912 a.

Program modules can be stored in the system memory 914, such as anoperating system 936, one or more application programs 938, otherprograms or modules 940 and program data 942. Application programs 938may include instructions that cause the processor(s) 912 to performgenerating digital roof models, generating roof and wall areameasurements, and store and display input images or images generated bycreating digital roof models and generating roof and wall areameasurements, including the processes described herein. Other programmodules 940 may include instructions for handling security such aspassword or other access protection and communications encryption. Thesystem memory 914 may also include communications programs, for example,a Web client or browser 944 for permitting the computing environment 900to access and exchange data including digital images, roof measurementsand other building data with sources such as Web sites of the Internet,corporate intranets, extranets, or other networks and devices, as wellas other server applications on server computing systems. The browser944 in the depicted embodiment is markup language based, such asHypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML) orWireless Markup Language (WML), and operates with markup languages thatuse syntactically delimited characters added to the data of a documentto represent the structure of the document. A number of Web clients orbrowsers are commercially available such as those from Mozilla, Google,and Microsoft of Redmond, Wash.

While shown in FIG. 9 as being stored in the system memory 914, theoperating system 936, application programs 938, other programs/modules940, program data 942 and browser 944 can be stored on the hard disk 926of the hard disk drive 924, the optical disk 932 of the optical diskdrive 928 and/or the magnetic disk 934 of the magnetic disk drive 930.

An operator can enter commands and information into the computingenvironment 900 through input devices such as a touch screen or keyboard946 and/or a pointing device such as a mouse 948, and/or via a graphicaluser interface in order to receive, process, store and send data onwhich wall area measurement estimation has been or will be performed asdescribed herein. Other input devices can include a microphone,joystick, game pad, tablet, scanner, etc. These and other input devicesare connected to one or more of the processing units 912 through aninterface 950 such as a serial port interface that couples to the systembus 916, although other interfaces such as a parallel port, a game portor a wireless interface or a universal serial bus (“USB”) can be used. Amonitor 952 or other display device is coupled to the system bus 916 viaa video interface 954, such as a video adapter which may be configuredto display images used by or generated by wall area measurementestimation as described herein. The computing environment 900 caninclude other output devices, such as speakers, printers, etc.

The computing environment 900 can operate in a networked environmentusing logical connections to one or more remote computers and/ordevices. For example, the computing environment 900 can operate in anetworked environment using logical connections to one or more othercomputing systems, mobile devices and other service providers orinformation servers that provide the digital images in various format orby other electronic delivery methods. Communications may be via a wiredand/or wireless network architecture, for instance wired and wirelessenterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, extranets,telecommunications networks, cellular networks, paging networks, andother mobile networks.

FIGS. 10A-10P show a non-limiting example of a wall estimate report,according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. In particular,FIG. 10A is a first page of a non-limiting example of the wall estimatereport. Shown in FIG. 10A is a top plan view of a 3D model of a roof ofthe building that is the subject of the wall estimate report in whichfacets appear as semi-transparent to reveal overhangs. Also shown is aproperty details section including roof measurements including totalroof area, pitch of roof segments, total length measurements ofridges/hips, valleys, rakes, eaves, total wall area and total number offacets. A table of contents of the wall estimate report is listed in aReport Contents section in FIG. 10A including page designations forindividual sections of the wall estimate report named: Images, LengthDiagram, Pitch Diagram, Roof Area Diagram, Notes Diagram, 3D Wall AreaDiagram, Alternative 3D Wall View, a Missing Wall Diagram, ElevationDiagrams and Report Summary.

FIG. 10B is a second page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. The Imagessection of the wall estimate report starts on FIG. 10B. Shown in FIG.10B is an image of the building which is a photograph of the buildingshowing a top substantially orthogonal view of the building and the roofof the building.

FIG. 10C is a third page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10C are two images of the building, which are each photographs ofthe building, one showing a top perspective (oblique) view of the northfacing side of the building and the other one showing a top perspective(oblique) view of the south facing side of the building.

FIG. 10D is a fourth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10D are two images of the building, which are each photographs ofthe building, one showing a top perspective (oblique) view of the eastfacing side of the building and the other one showing a top perspective(oblique) view of the west facing side of the building.

FIG. 10E is a fifth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10E is a line drawing showing a top plan view of a 3D model of theroof of the building that is the subject of the wall estimate reportwhich includes segment lengths shown on the report next to theapplicable segment (rounded to the nearest whole number) over 5 feet.Plus signs preface some numbers to avoid confusion when rotated (e.g.,+6 and +9). Roof ridges are shown drawn in red. Roof valleys are showndrawn in blue. Roof rakes are shown drawn in green. Roof eaves are showndrawn in black. Roof flashing is shown drawn in brown and any parapetswould be shown drawn in grey. These color codes are shown in a topsection of the page of FIG. 10E by coloring the text naming the rooffeature and showing the total lengths of each roof feature in thecorresponding color of the line segment(s) in the diagram of thecorresponding different roof feature. There is a Detailed LengthDiagram, in the Appendix at the end of the report shown on FIG. 10P.

FIG. 10F is a sixth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10F is a line drawing showing a top plan view of a 3D model of theroof of the building. The pitches and associated arrows indicative ofthe direction of pitches for different roof segments are shown on theline drawing within each different corresponding roof segment on theline drawing.

FIG. 10G is a seventh page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10G is a line drawing showing a top plan view of a 3D model of theroof of the building. The areas of different roof segments are shown onthe line drawing within each different corresponding roof segment on theline drawing. Also shown is a total number of and area of all the roofsegments (i.e., roof facets).

FIG. 10H is an eighth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10H is a Notes Diagram of the building roof including a linedrawing showing a top plan view of a 3D model of the roof of thebuilding. Labels from smallest to largest (A to Z) of different roofsegments (i.e., facets) are shown on the line drawing within eachdifferent corresponding roof segment on the line drawing. The labels maybe used to cross reference notes in a different area of the reportrelated to each corresponding roof segment.

FIG. 10I is a ninth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10I is a 3D Wall Area Diagram of the building including a linedrawing showing a top perspective view of a 3D model of the walls of thesouth facing side of the building. Different planar walls surfaces ofthe building are shown being shaded differently from each other and theplanar surfaces of the roof facets are shown as transparent. Also shownis a “Wall Area By Direction” chart showing estimated individual totalareas of different walls surfaces, showing a categorization of theplanar wall surfaces according to which direction the planar wallsurfaces generally face, and showing a total estimated wall area of theplanar wall surfaces for each category.

FIG. 10J is a tenth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10J is a 3D Alternative Wall View Diagram of the building includinga line drawing showing a top perspective view of a 3D model of the wallsof the building showing the generally north facing and the generallywest facing sides of the building. Different planar walls surfaces ofthe building are shown being shaded differently from each other and theplanar surfaces of the roof facets are shown as transparent. Also shownis a “Wall Area By Direction” chart showing estimated individual totalareas of different walls surfaces, showing a categorization of theplanar wall surfaces according to which direction the planar wallsurfaces generally face, and showing a total estimated wall area of theplanar wall surfaces for each category.

FIG. 10K is an eleventh page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.Shown in FIG. 10K is a 3D Missing Wall Diagram of the building includinga line drawing showing a top perspective view of a 3D model of the wallsof the building showing the generally south facing side of the building.Different planar walls surfaces of the building are shown being shadeddifferently from each other and the planar surfaces of the roof facetsare shown as transparent. Each section of a planar wall surface that isnot counted in calculation of an area of the corresponding planar wallsurface (i.e., a “missing” wall surface) is labeled on the line drawingwithin the corresponding area of the missing wall surface. Also shown isa “Missing Wall Measurements” chart showing estimated individual totalareas of the different missing wall surfaces, showing a categorizationof the missing wall surfaces according to which direction the wall ofthe missing wall surface generally faces, and showing a total estimatedmissing wall area of the missing wall surfaces for each category.

FIG. 10L is a twelfth page of a non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Shown inFIG. 10L is a “North Elevation Diagram” of a wall of the buildingincluding a line drawing showing an elevation view of the walls of thegenerally north facing side of the building. Different line segments ofthe walls and the missing surfaces of the walls of the generally northfacing side of the building are labeled with corresponding lengths nextto the corresponding line segment. Also shown are labels for thecorresponding walls on the corresponding wall surface of each wall inthe line drawing. For each of the walls shown in the line drawing, shownin a “North Elevation Details” chart is the wall label of the wall shownin the line drawing, a number of missing wall surfaces for the wall, anestimated individual total area of the different missing wall surfacesfor the wall, and an estimated total area of the wall. Also shown in the“North Elevation Details” is the estimated total wall area of the wallslabeled in the line drawing, the total number of missing wall surfacesof the walls labeled in the line drawing, and a total estimated missingwall area of the missing wall surfaces of the walls labeled in the linedrawing.

FIG. 10M is a thirteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.Shown in FIG. 10M is an “East Elevation Diagram” of a wall of thebuilding including a line drawing showing an elevation view of the wallsof the generally east facing side of the building. Different linesegments of the walls and the missing surfaces of the walls of thegenerally east facing side of the building are labeled withcorresponding lengths next to the corresponding line segment. Also shownare labels for the corresponding walls on the corresponding wall surfaceof each wall in the line drawing. For each of the walls shown in theline drawing, shown in an “East Elevation Details” chart is the walllabel of the wall shown in the line drawing, a number of missing wallsurfaces for the wall, an estimated individual total area of thedifferent missing wall surfaces for the wall, and an estimated totalarea of the wall. Also shown in the “East Elevation Details” is theestimated total wall area of the walls labeled in the line drawing, thetotal number of missing wall surfaces of the walls labeled in the linedrawing, and a total estimated missing wall area of the missing wallsurfaces of the walls labeled in the line drawing.

FIG. 10N is a fourteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.Shown in FIG. 10N is a “South Elevation Diagram” of a wall of thebuilding including a line drawing showing an elevation view of the wallsof the generally south facing side of the building. Different linesegments of the walls and the missing surfaces of the walls of thegenerally south facing side of the building are labeled withcorresponding lengths next to the corresponding line segment. Also shownare labels for the corresponding walls on the corresponding wall surfaceof each wall in the line drawing. For each of the walls shown in theline drawing, shown in a “South Elevation Details” chart is the walllabel of the wall shown in the line drawing, a number of missing wallsurfaces for the wall, an estimated individual total area of thedifferent missing wall surfaces for the wall, and an estimated totalarea of the wall. Also shown in the “South Elevation Details” is theestimated total wall area of the walls labeled in the line drawing, thetotal number of missing wall surfaces of the walls labeled in the linedrawing, and a total estimated missing wall area of the missing wallsurfaces of the walls labeled in the line drawing.

FIG. 10O is a fifteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.Shown in FIG. 10O is a “West Elevation Diagram” of a wall of thebuilding including a line drawing showing an elevation view of the wallsof the generally west facing side of the building. Different linesegments of the walls and the missing surfaces of the walls of thegenerally west facing side of the building are labeled withcorresponding lengths next to the corresponding line segment. Also shownare labels for the corresponding walls on the corresponding wall surfaceof each wall in the line drawing. For each of the walls shown in theline drawing, shown in a “West Elevation Details” chart is the walllabel of the wall shown in the line drawing, a number of missing wallsurfaces for the wall, an estimated individual total area of thedifferent missing wall surfaces for the wall, and an estimated totalarea of the wall. Also shown in the “West Elevation Details” is theestimated total wall area of the walls labeled in the line drawing, thetotal number of missing wall surfaces of the walls labeled in the linedrawing, and a total estimated missing wall area of the missing wallsurfaces of the walls labeled in the line drawing.

FIG. 10P is a sixteenth page of a non-limiting example of a wallestimate report, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment.Shown in FIG. 10P is a Report Summary including a top plan view of a 3Dmodel of the roof of the building that is the subject of the wallestimate report along with the total number of estimated roof facetsused in the report for the roof. Shown also is a list of total lengths,areas and pitches for the roof, including total length and number ofridges, total length and number of hips, total length and number ofvalleys, total length and number of rakes, total length and number ofeaves/starter, total length and number of drip edge lengths(eaves+rakes), an indication there are no parapet walls labeled, totallength and number of flashing lengths, total length and number of stepflashing lengths, total estimated roof area, predominant roof pitchmeasurement, total wall area, and total estimated number of wall facetsused in the report for the roof. Also shown is the property location(e.g., location of the building) in terms of longitude and latitudecoordinates above a notes section of the report.

FIGS. 11A-11M show a second non-limiting example of a wall estimatereport, according to one non-limiting illustrated embodiment. Inparticular, FIG. 11A is a first page of a second non-limiting example ofthe wall estimate report. Shown in FIG. 11A is a top plan view of a 3Dmodel of a roof of the building that is the subject of the secondexample wall estimate report in which facets appear as semi-transparentto reveal overhangs. A table of contents of the wall estimate report islisted in a Report Contents section in FIG. 11A including pagedesignations for individual sections of the wall estimate report shownin corresponding FIGS. 11B-11M. these sections are named: Images, 3DWall Area Diagram, Alternative 3D Wall View, Window and Door Diagrams,Report Summary and Additional Property Information.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to providefurther embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent applicationpublications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patentapplications and non-patent publications referred to in thisspecification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet areincorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of theembodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of thevarious patents, applications and publications to provide yet furtherembodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of theabove-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificembodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should beconstrued to include all possible embodiments along with the full scopeof equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, theclaims are not limited by the disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method in a system for generatingestimated wall area measurements derived at least in part from roofmeasurements, the system including a computer processor and a memorycoupled to the computer processor, the method comprising: receiving, bythe computer processor of the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements, the roof measurements of a building having a roof; andderiving, by the computer processor of the system for generatingestimated wall area measurements, the wall area measurements at least inpart from the received roof area measurements, wherein the deriving thewall area measurements includes: receiving, by the computer processor ofthe system for generating estimated wall area measurements, ameasurement indicative of a distance between at least one referencepoint on the roof and a ground surface on which the building rests via aplacement of a graphical user interface element representing ahorizontal planar model ground surface at a position beneath a graphicaluser interface element representing a digital three-dimensional model ofthe roof; generating, by the computer processor of the system forgenerating estimated wall area measurements, based at least in part onthe received roof measurements and the received measurement indicativeof the distance between the at least one reference point on the roof andthe ground surface, an estimated wall area measurement of the building,wherein the generating the estimated wall area measurement based atleast in part on the received roof measurements improves accuracy ofwall area measurements; and outputting, by the computer processor of thesystem for generating estimated wall area measurements, a wallestimation report having the estimated wall area measurement of thebuilding thereon and wherein the generated wall estimation report isprovided for repair and/or constructing a structure of the building. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein the model ground surface has a shaperepresenting a footprint of the building and further comprising:generating, by the computer processor of the system for generatingestimated wall area measurements, the model ground surface based on ashape formed by an outside perimeter of the three-dimensional model ofthe roof; and reducing, by the computer processor of the system forgenerating estimated wall area measurements, line segment lengths of themodel ground surface based on sections of the roof represented by thethree-dimensional model of the roof that may overhang exterior walls ofthe building.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating, bythe computer processor of the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements, the generating the estimated wall area measurement of thebuilding for each exterior wall of the building.
 4. The method of claim1 further comprising: subtracting, by the computer processor of thesystem for generating estimated wall area measurements, an amount fromthe estimated wall area measurement of the building corresponding to anarea on a wall of the building indicated as an area missing from thewall; and subtracting, by the computer processor of the system forgenerating estimated wall area measurements, an amount from theestimated wall area measurement of the building corresponding to an areaon a wall of the building that is associated with being above a soffit.5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by the systemfor generating estimated wall area measurements, an indication that awall of the building for which the estimated wall area measurement isgenerated is at least partially obstructed by an object in an image ofthe wall used to generate the three-dimensional model of the roof;subtracting, by the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements, a predefined percentage from the estimated wall areameasurement of the building corresponding to a size of the partialobstruction to account for possible areas missing from the wall whichmay be obstructed in the image by the object in the image; andproviding, by the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements, an indication in the wall estimation report that the wallof the building for which the estimated wall area measurement isgenerated is at least partially obstructed.
 6. The method of claim 1further comprising: subtracting, by the computer processor of the systemfor generating estimated wall area measurements, a predefined percentagefrom the estimated wall area measurement of the building according to anassumed percentage of non-wall area obstruction.
 7. The method of claim1, further comprising generating and delivering, by the computerprocessor of the system for generating estimated wall area measurements,a wall area measurement estimate report that includes multiple linedrawings of the building, each from a different perspective annotatedwith numerical values that indicate corresponding estimated wall areameasurements for walls visible in the respective perspective and shadingof the walls visible in the respective perspective to differentiate thevisible in the respective perspective from each other.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements providing selectable user interface elements configured tobe placed on areas on a rendering of the wall, the user interfaceelements having dimensions corresponding to areas missing from the wall.9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the system for generatingestimated wall area measurements providing a graphical user interfacethat includes windows each displaying different views of thethree-dimensional model of the building, the windows configured toconcurrently show modifications being made by a user to a location ofthe graphical user interface representing the model ground surface froma corresponding perspective of each of the different views.
 10. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising the system for generating estimatedwall area measurements providing a graphical user interface thatincludes windows each displaying different views of thethree-dimensional model of the building, the windows configured toconcurrently show modifications being made by a user to a location ofthe graphical user interface representing walls of the three-dimensionalmodel of the building from a corresponding perspective of each of thedifferent views.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the systemfor generating estimated wall area measurements subtracting an amountfrom the estimated wall area measurement of the building correspondingto an area on a wall of the building indicated as an area missing fromthe wall.
 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the system forgenerating estimated wall area measurements subtracting an amount fromthe estimated wall area measurement of the building corresponding to anarea on a wall of the building that is associated with being above asoffit.
 13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the system forgenerating estimated wall area measurements providing a cursor thatrepresents a shape of an area missing from the wall which changes anangle of view of the shape of the area missing from the wall to match anangle of view of a wall on which the cursor is placed.
 14. The method ofclaim 2 wherein the generating the estimated wall area measurement ofthe building includes: generating, by the computer processor of thesystem for generating estimated wall area measurements, a digitalthree-dimensional model of the building by: including, by the computerprocessor of the system for generating estimated wall area measurements,the three-dimensional model of the roof as part of the three-dimensionalmodel of the building; and generating, by the computer processor of thesystem for generating estimated wall area measurements, a wall withinthe three-dimensional model of the building by extending the wall fromalong an edge of a model roof represented by the three-dimensional modelof the roof toward a model ground surface, the wall extending a distanceuntil either intersecting a level of the model ground surface, accordingto the received measurement indicative of the distance between thereference point on the roof and the ground surface, or intersectinganother surface of the model roof, according to the three-dimensionalmodel of the roof; and using, by the computer processor of the systemfor generating estimated wall area measurements, dimensions of the wallgenerated in the three-dimensional model of the building to determine anarea of the wall.
 15. The method of claim 4 wherein the area on the wallof the building indicated as an area missing from the wall is an areacorresponding to placement of a cursor on the wall, wherein the cursorrepresents a shape of the area missing from the wall which changes anangle of view of the shape of the area missing from the wall to match anangle of view of a wall on which the cursor is placed.
 16. The method ofclaim 7 wherein the wall area measurement estimate report includes roofmeasurements including pitch annotated on corresponding roof sections.17. The method of claim 14 further comprising: rendering, by thecomputer processor of the system for generating estimated wall areameasurements, the three-dimensional model of the building within agraphical user interface; and providing, by the computer processor ofthe system for generating estimated wall area measurements, selectableuser interface elements within the graphical user interface configuredto be placed on areas on the wall, the user interface elements havingdimensions corresponding to areas missing from the wall.
 18. The methodof claim 17 wherein the graphical user interface includes windows eachdisplaying different views of the three-dimensional model of thebuilding that are configured to concurrently show modifications beingmade by a user to a location of the graphical user interfacerepresenting the model ground surface and to walls of thethree-dimensional model of the building from a corresponding perspectiveof each of the different views.
 19. The method of claim 17 wherein thedimensions corresponding to areas missing from the wall are those of apredefined window size or a predefined door size.